Iraqi And Kurdish Sources Are Reporting That U.S. Airstrikes On ISIS Militants Have Begun (Update: Pentagon Denies)

Islamic State militants stand guard after controlling a checkpoint in Khazer at the border area of the Kurdish semi-autonomous region, August 7, 2014. Credit: REUTERS/Stringer

Airstrikes On ISIS Militants Have Begun, Kurds and Iraqis Say -- New York Times

WASHINGTON — Airstrikes on towns in northern Iraq seized by Islamist militants began late Thursday in what Kurdish and Iraqi officials called the first stage of an American-led intervention to blunt the militants’ advance and provide emergency aid to tens of thousands of refugeeds.

The Pentagon firmly denied that American forces had begun a bombing campaign. But Pentagon officials said it was possible that allies of the United States, either the Iraqi or Turkish militaries, had conducted the bombing.

Kurdish and Iraqi officials attributed the bombing campaign to American forces. An announcement on Kurdish television of what was described as an American intervention prompted street celebrations and horn-honking by residents of towns under seige by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

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Update #1: US Begins Humanitarian Airdrop Mission in Iraq -- ABC News
Update #2: Pentagon Denies Reports of Airstrikes on Iraq -- NBC

WNU Editor: This is a breaking news story. We will be updating it later tonight.

Update #3: Pentagon: No U.S. air strikes have taken place in Iraq -- Reuters